Gilat Ben-Dor left her "Corporate America" career to pursue her passion of wine, and now helps others to express their zest for wine and life. As the founder and director of Renaissance Wine Academy™ based in Scottsdale, Arizona, Gilat helps companies and individuals learn about wine for business and pleasure, through unique wine education, keynotes, consulting, restaurant staff wine training, and team-building activities.

Credentials

In addition to an MBA in Global Management, and having lived in Asia, Europe, and the Middle East, Gilat has earned five wine credentials, from the International Sommelier Guild, the Court of Master Sommeliers, the Society of Wine Educators, Wine Australia (Australian Wine Bureau), and is a Certified Bordeaux Educator through French agency Sopexa.

Awards

In 2007, Gilat was chosen out of nearly 400 women from 30 countries, to be a Top Ten World Finalist at the Wine Women Awards in Paris. She competed in a written, oral and blind-tasting competition in front of a panel of European judges and international journalists.

Later, Gilat won the 2008-2009 AusWISE Wine Australia wine ambassador title, the result of a national competition of wine educators. Five winners nationally, including Gilat, traveled to Australia for two weeks of tasting and touring four wine regions, courtesy of the Australian Wine Bureau.

Media

Gilat has written multiple wine and food articles, and has appeared on radio, television and in print publications. She is also the founder and chief blogger of Grapes and Gusto™, the blog about “Wine, Food, and Adventures in Passion™”. Her first wine book will be released in 2011.